Secondary anchor retrieval

[telekitr]

We are redesigning the anchoring platform on our Passport. Our windlass of choice from a cost and space saving standpoint is a vertical format with drum and gypsy. Retrieval of the primary, all chain, is simple and straight forward. Our secondary anchor will be 100ft of chain and 250ft of nylon rode.
Retrieval of this secondary is a bit more complicated. How does one make the transition between taking the nylon rode off the drum, getting the 100ft of chain up (since the primary chain is wrapped around the gypsy and down the chain hawse pipe the chain gypsy is not usable??)
I would be interested in hearing how people deal with the retrieval of this secondary anchor?
Thanks

[camaraderie]

That's why I chose a horizontal. Much easier to deal with in a 2 anchor pulpit. If you haven't bought yet...you may wish to consider how much fun it is to wrestle by hand with a heavy, muddy chain and deal with a single hawse hole rather than have two dedicated hawse holes and gypsies.

[johnshasteen]

Paloma being on 30', I only use the windlass if I'm in really deep water and have a lot of chain out - I try not to do that. In shallow water - which is much more common down on the Gulf Coast, I don't use the windlass at all. I set both anchors out by motoring up, dropping the first anchor, then backing up to set it with about an 8-1 scope (I only use 12 feet of chain), forward again at an angle and drop the second - same drill. To retrieve them, I motor up slowly to overrun and pull out the closest anchor, leave it dangling off the anchor roller, then same drill for the second one. Once both anchors are freed, I turn back to the channel, one at at time pull them to the side and lower them to just below the water line to wash them off. Be careful not to let them bang into the hull - ask me how I know???

[telekitr]

Thanks for you replys so far. Cam..I agree that having 2 dedicated gypsies and hawse pipes is the optimum way to go. We have not chosen the windlass as of yet and will consider carefully. John....our issue is in dealing with 2 heavy and long chains. Primary is 300 ft and secondary will be at least 100 ft. So it becomes an issue when we try to get the 100 ft of chain up when raising the secondary anchor with the primary chain contained in the 1 gypsy that we would have.

[johnshasteen]

Originally Posted by telekitr

Thanks for you replys so far. John....our issue is in dealing with 2 heavy and long chains. Primary is 300 ft and secondary will be at least 100 ft. So it becomes an issue when we try to get the 100 ft of chain up when raising the secondary anchor with the primary chain contained in the 1 gypsy that we would have.

I appreciate your issue - on the Gulf Coast you are either in the Gulf and you either keep sailing or lie ahull to a sea anchor, in the ICW or the bays you're lucky not to run aground while trying to anchor. so you only have to decide between 6 and 12 feet of chain.
You didn't say where you sail or what kind/size boat you have, where are you located that the water is that deep?

[Boasun]

Isn't this why we have two or three of the local high school football team line backers on board? To man haul that weighty anchor and chain back on board? Us older fellows have to use smarts here. Let the youngsters Haul that anchor back on board.

[otaga05]

Telekitr,

I have a Lewmar vertical windlass with gypsy and capstan and a 15kg Bruce on a roller with 35' of chain as a primary anchor. My secondary anchor is a 15 kg CQR which I store in a cockpit locker together with 35' of chain and brait rode. I retrieve the secondary first. I find that I can run the chain 3/4 way around the gypsy and have it come off on deck, rather than running it down the hawse pipe which has the primary rope rode going down it. Once the secondary is aboard I retrive the primary as per usual. Obviously retrieving 100' of chain on deck would not be fun.